


Emergence

by ainamclane



Series: Little Black Dress RT Challenge [12]
Category: Ripper Street
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, M/M, Sentinel/Guide Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-10 05:13:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5572297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ainamclane/pseuds/ainamclane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drake came online in the desert and kept quiet about his online status. Working with Homer and Edmund changes that after some time though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Emergence

Drake never liked to talk about it much. He hated talking about how he came online and became a Sentinel. There were only a few that could tell the story and he knew those were getting rare these days. 

The past was best to stay in the past even if he sometimes got flashbacks of those moments under the bright sunlight. The despair he had felt, the need to return to England to protect something. Someone.

Now, smelling the explosives left over in the places of robbery reminded him of one person. One person of his past. Faulkner. His old Sergeant from his unit. The one man he had trusted above all else.

This trust and loyalty was gone now. Has been ever since he had met Reid and was installed as the Inspector’s Sergeant. There was something about the other man besides the pain that he could feel that was different about the man. Something that made his protective instincts surface beyond anything else.

It was rare that he felt protective enough to push himself into fights more often than not. Even if he feared zoning every single time he heard a noise or feared losing grip on reality so that he was to go feral.

Killing all those men in the desert was hard enough. He would forever remember glimpses of what he had done but the unique physiology of his brain would hinder him from loosing it and going mental. Would prevent him from loosing sleep over those men he had killed to survive.

Facing his old friend and getting accused of killing all those men was hard. Not betraying the man just the same though the loyalty was gone. Add that Reid placed a lot of trust into Jackson that made Bennet jealous was enough to make him act out. To go with his old men and figure out just what exactly it was they were doing and preventing them from killing someone else on his watch.

As far as Drake knew, he was the only Sentinel in London. Maybe even England. Those fairy tales were still told but no one actually believed them unless faced with a feral Sentinel. Then it was unmistakable to realize just what they were facing. 

Legends also protected a Sentinel and their Consort. Though Drake hated the word Consort with a passion. Over his travels, he had picked up a new word for it. Guide. Roughly translated at least. He hated Consort because it implied a marriage of sorts that wasn’t always possible with Consorts nor a given.

His instincts and feelings towards Reid were complicated at best, the same towards Jackson whom he formed a steady bond with.

Fighting against his old Sergeant was a tough one but his instincts told him to fight after that first man went down. He loathed losing someone, hearing their heartbeat winking out with a bang of a shot. Fighting was the only logical thing to do even if he was outnumbered.

Hearing Jackson step into place to take a shot at the men with him was soothing in a way though he disliked that the other man would have to kill someone. Bennet knew he would overcome it easily enough. 

Fighting those men until Jackson could reload his gun to take another shot was not easy but necessary to take out the kidnappers and robbers. He had switched off that feeling inside of him that made him regret anything and going feral was coming easily now. Not a single man in the room would not know what he was then.

Facing his old friend, now on his knees and defeated, he could hear Reid and Jackson coming closer but there was no way he could let the other man, kneeling on front of him, live. He would hang for his crimes anyways and risking that the man would tell his secrets to anyone else? No, he’d keep his new friends from knowing his body count in the desert and if it was the last thing he would be doing.

He also wanted to keep them from knowing he was a Sentinel if possible to keep them from worrying about him. Special treatment wouldn’t do him any good, nor would it help Jackson’s credibility if he could detect anything the other man could but without the scientific mind. He could help the other of course but staying under the radar was more important given that his senses were untrained and mostly not usable unless he wanted to zone.

Meeting with Rose had been nice but just a cover up. He realized it as soon as he let the birds fly that it was just a wrong thing to do. Marrying her would have kept her relatively safe but he didn’t need a wife in the traditional sense. It was his protective streak trying to save her from bad men and not his actual feelings towards the beautiful woman.

Realizing his error was hard on his feelings nonetheless but he knew it was for the better. He also knew that his going in and out of Jackson’s place was enough for now to settle his nerves on the matter that his friends and what he considered his pack, mostly unattended, though he did try to check up on them more often than not. Especially after Jack the Ripper had roamed the streets and he couldn’t do anything to stop him.

Drake loved the fights he got in afterwards. It was as if the brief flashback to his past had engulfed him in his protection instincts and he was much more likely to fight back and hit someone now that he remembered what he had done to survive. The threats to the streets were direr every day and he would do anything to protect his friends.

Their last big case for quite a while was making him sick to the stomach. Rose was missing and even trying to search the whole city for her heartbeat went without result. He hated his low range of hearing now and how hard it was to find any evidence.

Reid’s suspicion of his daughter wasn’t helping the case at all and Jackson behind bars as accusation of being the Ripper stung. He didn’t know how to point out that their killer was lying on a stretcher not too far away from the dead woman without tipping off he was a Sentinel. 

He promised himself another few days before he would tell Reid and everyone he was one, if it meant getting Homer out of the bars. And when had he started referring to the other man by his first name was beyond him.

Maybe since he had found out that Homer hadn’t slept with his beautiful wife once. Neither had Reid and though he had a brief affair, he was lacking some emotional attachment for it to be entirely true.

Great, he was one of those Sentinels. One of those who could feel the empathic weight of people around him. Apparently he wasn’t above discovering more about his gifts every new day. It surprised him since he thought coming online in a battlefield was enough to completely make you online in all senses.

Apparently he came online gradually.

Suddenly, he could smell more. Even more than before. He could feel incisions on wooden desks left over by the scratch of a feather. He could see the smallest detail further away than even those with a telescope.

Over the next few weeks, only small cases came in and it suited Bennet even if he was pressured to take on a marriage which he didn’t follow through with. He knew that potentially there was a perfect match out there somewhere and he wouldn’t burden a wife with this situation.

When their case with the Chinese and the new drug Heroine came in, it was his instinct to throw himself in the way from the punch and Reid. He needed to protect the other man like nothing else mattered in that second.

It was irritating and telling to say the least. His relationship with his boss was complicated at best and the other man lived separated from his wife and former affair that was telling at best. He didn’t want to tell anyone about it but something was shifting in the man’s mental range.

Jackson wasn’t much different. The American was married but even if they were, Drake couldn’t actually detect anything sexually between those two and given their house, that was rather strange in itself. But neither one of them smelled like the other beyond that of simply being around each other casually.

The bodies Homer inspected left more of a smell on the other man than Susan did. It wasn’t bothering anyone what agreement both had since it was between them.

Interestingly enough, Edmund and Homer’s smell lingered on Bennet’s own skin more often than not and that given their work environment was rather surprising. They didn’t spend that much time in close proximity beyond that of their investigations.

And that was what bothered Bennet lately. It was like an itch he couldn’t scratch. Like his skin being irritated again by the fabric he was wearing even if he hadn’t chafed since the Desert.

It was troublesome that he couldn’t keep his skin from chafing even if he was already wearing a very expensive silk shirt. He would need to ask Homer if he knew something about it.

The troubles with being a Sentinel and not out in the open showed when he approached Homer in the confinements of his small laboratory and closed the door behind himself, listening to anyone taking an interest in his location. When he didn’t get one and found the Captain staring at him, he removed his overcoat and unbuttoned his shirt at the sleeves: “I am in need of your help.”

“What can I do that a doctor couldn’t do?” Jackson asked easily.

“You will note, that my skin is chafing.” Drake explained: “You might not know-“

“You’re a Sentinel,” the other man said with recognition: “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

Drake shook his head: “No one knows about this. It is a closed guarded secret.”

Homer seemed to consider the other man for a moment: “That is why you protect us so strongly.”

Drake nodded and showed the other man his skin rashes. The other carefully put aside his cigarettes and took the arms carefully, looking them over and nodding to himself: “The legend says that you need a Guide. Have you found anyone?”

“You do know about the legends?” Drake was surprised: “I only heard of them when I came online and sought them out that I was in need of a Guide.”

“The Americans handle things a little bit differently,” Homer replied and smirked: “I know because I was told by others that I was gifted as a Guide.”

“You are?” the Sentinel frowned and looked at his friend in surprise: “Are you?”

The other man dropped his mental shields bit by little bit and Drake suddenly felt emotional relieved beyond all measures that he had found a companion with the same genetics he had. It was such a surprise: “I am just as surprised as you are, Bennet, that you are a Sentinel.”

“But are you my Guide?” the hope that filled his voice was easily to detect and he enjoyed the company of the other man immensely.

Being a Guide in this world and time wasn’t easy. The old tales were too close to grasp and declared the Guides as slaves or belonging to others. Only the latest laws dictated by the Queen was preventing Guides to be seen as belongings. Thus, another reason why Jackson had probably come to England since the American laws weren’t that advanced.

Homer looked pained for a second and Bennet wondered why: “I am. But I am not your only Guide.”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense,” the Sentinel said with a frown: “Please, I don’t know much about this. I’ve only been online since I started here.”

The Captain frowned and nodded briefly, moving to the shelves in the back to take some salve and spreading it across the rashes: “You must have realized by now that the Inspector is also a Guide.”

Hesitating with his nod, Bennet looked at the man in front of him with amazement and surprise. Yes, he had noticed that the Inspector had changed in his feel mentally but he hadn’t thought it to be due to being a Guide as well.

“He came online as a response to you, actually,” Homer continued: “I was a Guide before and felt drawn to London, hence I am still here though I must admit your shields are so strongly in place that I didn’t notice you being a Sentinel.”

Frowning, Drake followed the Guide’s movement across the room: “I forced him to emerge?”

“Yes. You accidentally triggered it in the distress over loosing Rose to the kidnapper. I didn’t notice at the time given that I was rather distressed and chained up myself but I think that was the moment you were closest to breaking point. Well, beside that time with the robberies going on but I think while we were both close enough, you were stable enough not to trigger us.”

“But if he comes to his gifts now, it will be a disaster,” Bennet whispered: “He cannot control it by himself.”

“Yes, I am aware. Coming online usually also comes with natural defenses. As long as there isn’t another incident to trigger him or you, we should be fine.”

Drake sighed: “What are we going to do about this?” He was seriously worried now and looked at his rash.

“I will talk to Susan. She is aware of my situation and we only married to get into this country. I will be happy to take you as my Sentinel, if you want to have me.” Homer said sincere: “Also, me being married will protect us from the law.”

“The law doesn’t count when it comes to a solid bond,” Bennet sighed: “But I get what you’re saying.”

“Are you really? This would mean we bond but there is also Reid short from coming online,” Jackson said easily: “We would all be together.”

“Depends on how together you mean,” Drake admitted. He was sure what he wanted from a Guide and Sentinel bond but it always depended on other people as well. He knew he could easily picture himself with either one of them even if the others couldn’t live with it and wanted a platonic bond.

Jackson seemed to ponder about what he wanted to say when the door opened and both were interrupted. Drake had completely forgotten to keep an ear outside and nearly jumped. He quickly turned around positioned himself in direct line of the Guide, protecting him with his body unconsciously. Of course the Captain knew what he was doing and huffed while Reid looked at them: “We have a body.”

The glance between both men wasn’t lost on Reid and he focused one man after another before taking note of Bennet’s still bare arms: “Are you injured?”

“No,” Bennet replied and Jackson came to the rescue: “He’s probably reacting to his soap in the cloths.”

Reid eyed them as if he knew they were conspiring and accepted it with a small frown but politeness was a given. Drake was somehow glad even if they were basically just going through the motions on this case while Jackson shot him a whispered explanation: “I’ll talk to Susan later and try to meet you for breakfast at your place?”

Bennet had nodded and found that the scientist was touching him more and more which steadied his senses so much that he loosened part of his grip on his shields and dared to expand them further. Jackson quickly drew him to the side and asked him to use his senses, carefully guiding him through testing a few found results on the spot.

Reid had walked away for witness interrogation then before Drake had followed. The chase of their murderer was tough and rather tiring. Drake nearly zoned while following through some of the smellier roads of London while Reid had touched him at the right moments to draw him out of potential spikes and zones.

It made Drake think twice about how close the other man was really to come online. Those instincts were hard to come by and while he still felt Edmund’s mind flaring brightly. He knew it wouldn’t take much to push him to emerge his Guide gifts. The only question was whether the other man wanted the gift or wanted to stay latent. Whichever choice he would be making, it was permanent and either with Drake and Jackson or Reid would be forced to move districts since it was probably easier to transfer one than two persons though Jackson wasn’t completely part of the division.

The whole issue was rather hard to discuss given half the intel. Their work on the case took form though, thanks to Jackson’s discoveries and Drake’s smell and touch that he rented out to the other man. 

Not solving the case before it was dark, Drake headed home and looked at his rashes that were looking better now that a Guide and doctor was taking care of those. He quickly drew up a bath and carefully washed himself, waiting a few moments to check if the soap was causing him troubles. When it wasn’t, he threw his silk shirt in so that he had a clean one for the day after tomorrow. He only had money for two silk shirts and swapping them every day was his only chance. He knew some of his fellow police officers weren’t changing their clothing that often but he really didn’t have any other chance.

Heading to his bed, he winced at the bed sheets that were rough on his skin. He hated those sheets but knew there was nothing he could do about it and it was way too cool to sleep without them. He just had to hope that the contact with the Guide throughout the day had been enough to sooth any rashes from forming.

His sleep wasn’t easy. Too many noises from the streets and the city from behind closed doors was coming through the walls. The smells were coming in with the wind and changing just as rapidly. Eventually, though, focusing on his one certain Guide, he fell asleep.

*

Waking up early was usually in his bones. Rising with the sun and the sounds of the city was usual for him but this morning he was eager for his friend to arrive for breakfast. He hoped that the tea, fresh milk, some eggs and bread was sufficient for the American.

The clean silk shirt was feeling good on his skin even if he hadn’t developed any new rashes throughout the night and he was suddenly surprised to realize Homer was close to his front door and he hadn’t gathered the usual smell of the other man’s smokes just yet.

Opening before the other man could knock was easy and polite, he could after all, hear the other man and leaving the other outside in the light drizzle that had set in was just plain impolite. Not the best impression to have.

“Good morning, Captain,” he greeted and waved the other man in, picking up his newspaper from the usual spot as he did so.

Jackson smiled and entered, taking a seat with him facing the door, obviously knowing the Sentinel would like to have the seat in line to the door to protect him. It was of course stupid, given that both men were very well capable of fighting and saving their own asses: “Good morning. Wouldn’t you think it better to call us by our given names? We might after all end up in a bond.”

Pouring his guest some tea, the Sentinel nodded: “That would be good, yes. But it also depends on the discussion you had with Susan.”

“Oh, Bennet, don’t worry. Susan is fine per agreement we had a long time ago. She is happy with the protection my bond with you would offer her. No man in their right mind would dare to attack the brothel.” Jackson said: “She wasn’t thrilled to hear you were my Sentinel though.”

“Why am I not surprised,” Drake muttered and sighed a little bit: “What do you want from this bond?”

Jackson took a sip of his tea before taking a piece of bread and starting with the eggs: “I always knew that any bond, any full balanced bond would require a sexual relationship for me personally. If you find you cannot agree, I am content with being your friend. That would entitle though, that you would have to tolerate the smell of my wife on me.”

Bennet didn’t even need to think about it: “I wouldn’t be able to tolerate anyone else on you. I am very pleased that you quit smoking last night.”

“You can tell?” Jackson asked, clearly surprised and pleased all the same: “So you agree to the bond and a relationship?”

“I agree,” Drake nodded: “But there is also the matter of Reid. If we were to engage our bond, how would this affect him?”

Placing his fork down on the table, Homer shook his head the tiniest bit but answered: “Theoretically, a stable bond should put us off the market, so to speak. Potentially, it is possible that you do have two Guides as I mentioned yesterday. It could be that our bond leaves him out of ever emerging. It could be that our stable bond gives him the shove he needs to emerge. The possibilities are endless and I cannot think he would be pleased to change division or let us move away.”

Giving a short nod, Drake sat back, leaving only a few crumbs on his plate: “Either way we would have to include him into a discussion.”

“That would be the fair logical assessment, yes.” Jackson agreed: “Given that we both consider him a friend as well as our superior, it would be wise to include him.”

Drake sighed: “I am uncertain how long I can maintain to stay stable and without rashes.”

The Captain looked at him closely before sharing his assessment: “I would say you’re as well as expected. Susan and I agreed that it would be wise for me to stay here, unless you disagree. Our staying at the brothel would lead to you always seeing the gentlemen there as threats as well as an intrusion on your territory so that you wouldn’t be able to fully rest. I do know you are keeping an ear out for the women but not as constantly.”

Agreeing with the situation for now, Drake looked around in his small house. He was happy having purchased it from his uncle before the man had passed away but it was in dire need for work before he could think of having a Guide here. Not to mention the bed… 

It was a thought he quickly put away for later. He wasn’t worried that he couldn’t be with his Guide fully since the bonding would settle in – according to the books and scrolls at least – and he would find his Guide irresistible either way. Or not at all, depending on the personal views and believes either man had.

Heading into work through the busy streets was so different and all the same on so many levels. Having Jackson by his side was a constant soothing factor that helped keeping his senses in check all the time. Whereas he sometimes had to hold his breath on certain corners, he could now walk them freely and assess each and every smell and sensation attacking him without worrying of spiking and zoning.

A light brush against his shoulder with Homer’s shoulder was also very soothing and keeping him in a good mental space as well. 

The mental space he had yet to fully explore. It felt as if he was still not fully online with that sense and the empathic abilities fluctuated which annoyed him to no end, given that he could very well use such a handy gift to assess people he came across at work. Instantly realizing whether someone was hiding something or simply lying would help. It would also protect them from turnaround attacks on them.

Sensing that his Guide was throwing him a few looks, he quickly steeled his senses and mind mentally and of sorts brushed his mind against the other man’s. The surprised look he got in return was well worth it, accompanied with a low whisper from the American: “I am surprised you are capable of this brush of minds. It’s supposed to only come after a bonding.”

“Maybe we already are bonded on a few instinctual and platonic levels?” Drake replied dryly. He figured the other man would write an extensive case study from their abilities to help the later emerging Guides and Sentinels.

Looking surprised and pleased with that statement, Homer entered the police station ahead of him and quickly turned left to the office of the Inspector. He was already in, given that he had slept on a small, uncomfortable bed there in the office instead of his own. Drake frowned because something in his Sentinel-instincts screamed at him that this was wrong.

“Good morning,” the Inspector greeted and looked up at both men when they entered purposefully and closed the door behind them. Drake fell back into the background while indicating Homer that he should go ahead and talk to the other Guide.

“Good morning. There is something both Bennet and I would like to discuss with you. The matter is a private one and if you would rather discuss this later-“ he trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging there and waiting for the other man to decide.

Looking from one man to the other, Reid assessed them and indicated with a nod that he wanted to hear the information now rather than later. He was practical like this and Drake moved forward a bit, still standing behind his Guide and essentially blocking the door with his frame yet again. Jackson knew what he was doing and shot him an amused look while focusing back on the other man: “Drake is a Sentinel and I am his Guide.”

Surprised, Reid sat forward in his chair, looking at both men with consideration: “I must admit I don’t know much about Sentinel and Guides. How long have you known and how long have you been bonded?”

“Bennet came to me yesterday and asked for some help with the rashes. I realized what they were or else I wouldn’t have no clue. We Guides as well as some Sentinels erect mental barriers, shields, to protect our minds and we both had rather strong shields. It would have taken a big disaster for either one of us to loose those shields and recognize the other.”

Letting the information sink in, Reid frowned a bit: “Why are you telling me this? This information usually is not required to be given.”

“Well, that is where it gets tricky,” Drake said: “While we both didn’t know about the other due to the shields, you on the other hand are not having any shields yet. You are on the way of emerging.”

“What?”

“Being around a Sentinel that is or isn’t in distress is enough to trigger your emerging as a Guide. Your natural shields will be in place by then but right now, we know what you will become.” Homer said neutrally: “The reason we are here and telling you is that we both believe you could be a Guide with a bond to us both, could never come online after we bond or skip town and never having the risk of coming online at all. Either is an option.”

Considering this for quite a moment, Edmund sighed and rubbed his temples: “Is that the reason for the bloody headaches I’ve been having?”

“Yes,” Jackson agreed right away: “You might be lucky enough to not come online if you never see us again right from this moment.”

The grimace and distress coming from Reid startled both men. They both had known that their Inspector was a friend after all this time but that strong a reaction was rather unusual. Realizing that the distress of this whole situation was adding to Reid’s emerging was rather unsettling both.

“I will not run from this if I am already on the way. What have you two decided for your bonding?” Reid asked neutrally but a twitch of his fingers and the racing heartbeat was telltale.

“Drake and I will be in a complete relationship. There is no way we could tolerate anyone else. Susan always knew about my status and is content with the arrangement as it is.” Jackson replied. As previous customs, Guides were more talkative and easier to handle others in a conversation so Drake let his Guide speak for them.

“To be honest,” Edmund started: “I’ve felt like I was drawn to you for a while now. I cannot explain it but your attempts to be with Rose angered me while being around Susan was also as hard. Given that I left my wife and broke off my affair, it is rather telling.”

“Are we agreeing on this completely in a rational manner then?” Bennet asked surprised. He was somehow shocked that they talked this through so far, given that it was a strange conversation to have with your friends, much less superior and another man.

“I agree,” Edmund said quickly. Jackson nodded his head: “Me, too.”

*

Considering they had talked about what to expect privately, the whole Sentinel and two Guide things changed their dynamic out in the streets and that day it was actually for the worse. 

Not quite knowing how to act around each other and trying for normal, they didn’t much succeed. Something was off and until they could bond – or in Edmund’s case just be there – they were stuck with the dynamic of knowing there would be more.

Bennet knew both men liked each other and liked him in turn but this liking was rather platonically on both men’s side. Yes, he could detect that they were attracted in a way now that they were considering him in a way but it was still strange to let himself think of his two friends in such a way.

Of course their case couldn’t be an easy one either. Even though Bennet had a few smells that were on their dead body that definitely weren’t coming from it, he couldn’t seem to find those smells or do anything with them given that he didn’t have the reverences what it could be.

Jackson was currently in his laboratory room, mixing a few smells together – ester – so he could smell them and learn new things. This was taking quite a lot of time though and a feeling in his gut told Drake that the time was running out.

What for? Heaven’s if he knew.

Without telling anyone where he was going off to, Reid stood, grabbed his jacket and left. Drake only noticed when he felt the other man’s heartbeat further away than the last time he had checked. Panicked, his eyes snapped up to Homer who was luckily still in place: “Edmund’s gone.”

“Gone as in?”

“Left the building,” Drake explained and both men quickly hurried to follow where Drake’s nose and hearing led them.

It was further away than planned. It was to a river bank by the docs that made Drake come up short and look around, surprised: “I have no idea where he went.”

“No smell? His heartbeat?”

Focusing all his senses, Drake shook his head: “No,” he gritted out, frustrated and angry that the other man had just left without telling them where he was going.

A steadying hand on his was drawing him out from a freak out and he gathered himself, turning around and looking for any other hint and evidence where he had cone off to.

Jackson followed suit: “The only logical reason for disappearing here would be a ship.”

“But I would smell him across the river for a little bit.” Drake denied: “I cannot detect it. Its as if someone masked his smell.”

“With what? Chemicals? Something sharp smelling? Something soft?” his Guide asked carefully and helpfully. It was as if Homer just knew what to do to help him unmask the different smells coming at him at once.

Smelling something sweet and flowery suddenly hit his nose and he pushed on, finding the flowery smell to be complex as from more than one kind of flowers and definitely sticking to Reid’s smell: “It smells like a flower arrangement but why would someone make the effort?” 

“Because we have dogs in division b that can track someone down by smell. And you, though no one knows about you.” Jackson sighed: “With those dogs we would have come to a dead end but you can follow that flowery smell just as well.”

“Once I know what I am looking for, its rather easy now,” Drake agreed and marched off into one direction that definitely wasn’t across the river but back into the busier streets of London and a market.

“Why would they risk taking him through the market?” Drake wondered but Jackson had an answer as well, which a second after asking this question had Drake also answered by his own brain: “Because the other smells would completely mask him to a dog.”

The smell of Edmund was really getting bad and he would have lost the scent entirely hadn’t he followed the flowery smell as well: “I’ve still got a trail.”

Briefly taking out his gun and checking it, the Captain grinned: “Good,” before holstering his gun and following Drake through the busy streets.

He knew very well that Reid had been taken underground. Nowhere else would the sound of his heartbeat or his voice have been cut of like this. Add that he assumed Reid was unconscious or else they would have found signs of a fight in the spot Edmund had been taken.

They walked towards a few buildings right on the shore of the Thames. It was tiring and unusual to push his senses that strongly and he feared he would zone eventually. It was rather hard to distinguish the small flowery smell from the mud and dung and rain. 

Suddenly, Drake stopped in front of a house. He could hear the faint heartbeat but among other things, he could smell his blood. Without a glance to spare into Jackson’s direction, Drake stormed in, shooting the bad guys on sight and making his way down the stairs to the cellar that reached underneath the riverbank. He hated the wet and cold down there right away and followed the sense of smell of his other Guide. It was getting stronger and he knew he probably was feral that no one of the bad guys would come out alive if he had a say in it.

Not only would they have troubles explaining how they found Reid in the first place but they also would have to explain why Drake and Jackson had killed off any and all people under the roof that all had smelled of Reid’s blood.

Reid himself was trying to get the door open where he had been locked in, hammering against it and calling out now that he had heard the shooting going on. 

With one solid kick, Drake was tearing the door down. He was looking slightly surprised at his own reaction but Jackson just nodded and it made him think back of their Kung-Fu man that he had thrown himself in the way to protect Reid. It was similar to this now.

Looking surprised, Edmund stared at them: “How did you find me?”

“Did you miss the part where he is a Sentinel?” Homer joked and looked at Drake: “He followed your scent here and then we heard you. When he smelled your blood, he went feral and tore down everyone in this building. I followed suit in a rage that matched my Sentinel and apparently you were triggered as well as hard as you were trying to tear down the door.”

“Triggered into what?” Reid asked but was engulfed in a strong embrace by the Sentinel that quickly checked him over for injuries.

“The combat drive. When a Sentinel is going feral, their Guides follow suit to best help them. While Guides do get the rage and don’t leave anyone alive to harm their Sentinel, they’re in enough control to draw their Sentinel out, unlike, the Sentinel himself. Hence, we’re here now.”

Edmund barely nodded, plastered to Drake as he was but he slowly realized that it was necessary for the other man to know he was okay. After a few moments, Bennet drew back and focused on Homer: “Are you okay?”

Jackson seemed to bush of whatever it was before he reconsidered: “Just a scratch from flying wood.”

Edmund was dragged outside then, police arriving now as well when they exited the house. Not in a speaking mood, Drake hung back with Jackson while their Inspector went to deal with the other officers before Drake made an impatient sound in the back of his throat that Jackson mirrored not a few seconds later. Both men then stepped up to Reid and dragged him away, claiming he was injured and needed to be sorted out.

Instead of going to Drake’s as the Sentinel had hoped, Homer brought them to the office where they went into the small laboratory and both Reid and Jackson could get cleaned up.

“What is this overwhelming sense I get? I feel as if I can sense whatever anyone is thinking in the room.” Reid asked quietly, focusing on Jackson as the needle went through his skin.

“You came online when you were taken. The emerging is a protection for you. Basically you could have terrorized someone with your mind into believing anything you want. You could influence a crowd to stay calm and you definitely went into combat drive with us. I would say that you are indeed another Guide for Bennet.” Jackson explained: “But we should head down to the Palace and ask for approval to see the official documents from the last Sentinel and Guides that were reported and get reported ourselves.”

“Why would we announce this?” Reid asked suspicious: “It is against the law to be with two men, let alone one.”

“Hence getting registered. Sentinel and Guide Bonds are under special protection such as that neither one of us can be a slave. One of the reasons I left America. The other reason is to get valuable insight on scrolls of papers that are not available for the public. So far all I have gathered is public knowledge.”

“You do know quite a lot more than we do,” Bennet pointed out.

Jackson looked at the Sentinel: “Yes, because I’ve been online for close to five years. You barely had more than a year to come to terms with it, that with the new job and the few information, it is not surprising you only know a few basics. And you, Edmund, probably barely remember the tales that were told.”

“That is true,” Edmund agreed. He frowned and looked at Drake: “Is it possible to hold off the Bonding until I know more about it?”

Drake winced inwardly but nodded. He couldn’t pressure anyone into a bonding and he would like to know all information available as well before going in. Ergo, he looked at Homer, hoping that the other man was staying with him.

Sadly, the other man shook his head: “I have to meet with Susan. We do have troubles financially that I have to deal with.”

“All right,” Bennet nodded. He sighed and mentally shored up his shields which made both men gasp in turn. He looked at them: “What?”

“We didn’t realize how much your empathic ability was already relying on us,” Jackson said honestly: “I will cut my visit with Susan short and spend the night with you.”

The relief that settled into his bones was so explosive that he nearly staggered in relief: “Thank you.”

“I think we greatly underestimated our hold on you,” Edmund said with an apoplectic smile: “For now, Jackson and I will always be with you until this matter is settled.”

They agreed in a way and Bennet walked away, keeping an ear out on both his Guides for now.

That was how he knew that Jackson, in trying to help Susan pay the debt on their house, was attacked by a fat man, Duggan. Drake hurried after where Jackson was rather quickly, running until it was a blur and entering the house of the man that had dared to nick his Guide’s throat. Without much thinking about it, Bennet had snapped the man’s neck, letting the lifeless body drop to the floor, stepping over the body and focusing on his Guide: “Homer, are you okay?”

The hand still over the small bleeding cut, Jackson nodded carefully and the light shone light on the head wound. He snarled before checking that neither wound was bleeding before he wrapped an arm around his Guide and dragged him to his feet, stepping over the body of whoever that was and dragging him out and away.

Jackson stumbled more than walked, smiling at Drake: “Thank you.”

“What was that all about?”

“He wanted Susan as payment for the debts we had with him. Susan paid more than enough money to compensate what we borrowed.” Homer replied simply: “He wanted her.”

“I understand,” Drake nodded and carefully took him out of the house: “I should let the Inspector know about my kill.”

“Tomorrow, Bennet,” Jackson said and sighed exhausted: “After we went to official channels to get registered.”

“After we bonded. So we take tomorrow off?”

“Probably,” he agreed: “We should let someone know about the body nonetheless though.”

*

The next morning, Reid knocked on Bennet’s door and due to the fact that they had taken some time in the night to stitch Jackson up, they had gotten to bed rather late. Therefore, Reid’s knock was loud in the silent house and startled Drake so that the Sentinel went to the door in his undergarments, startling Jackson who had crashed in his bed as well.

“Inspector?” he questioned, letting the other man in who had a thick folder and a book tucked under his arm.

“Good Morning, Sentinel,” Reid addressed the other man and entered, throwing a surprised look over to where Jackson was still sitting on the bed and the whole bunch of medical supplies laid out on the kitchen table. He raised and eyebrow at the injured neck to Jackson.

Drake turned to make some hot water for tea, not bothering with cloths just yet. Those two men were his friends and pretty much were soon to be close to him. Taking out some breakfast supplies he started: “Last night I heard Homer being attacked.”

Jackson nodded: “I had a talk with the owner of Susan and my money. Or whatever. That man attacked me and nicked my throat, as you can see. Bennet here attacked, given that it was pretty much out of his hands. He killed him.”

Reid nodded: “Therefore we need to register the bond soon, before we can be accused.”

“It is possible that we can spin it that he felt my distress without being bonded. Given that we work together, we already do have a bond, even if platonic.” Jackson agreed.

“What books did you bring?” Drake asked, already reaching for a few papers on the table.

“Books about us, hopefully,” he admitted: “I went to the library and the government and requested those, claiming they were for a case.”

“I supply the tea and food, you start digging through the papers,” Drake ordered and looked down on himself, going to get some cloths before going out for some fresh bread, cheese, ham, eggs and milk. With two Guides around, he wouldn’t spare on the food front.

Maybe he could ask Bella to come over to his – their – house and cook for them, giving her a good payment.

Upon returning, he found the two Guides stuck in paperwork, tea on the table and writing down a few notes every now and then. Drake nodded at both and turned to make some food: “Do the officers know where to find us?”

“If a case comes in, they have orders to find us here,” Reid admitted: “We do have a few information already.”

Drake sat down heavily and sighed: “I feel guilty for killing that man but on the other hand it’s as if I don’t care.”

“According to the papers here, it is normal. You protected your Guide with everything you had. You knew he would come after him again and eliminated the threat. No law prevents you from walking away from this when you’re in a feral state.” Reid said and showed him a few pages where Sentinel and Guide law was noted down.

Jackson suddenly sat forward, hands shaking a little bit: “There is a section about Triad Bonds.”

“There is?”

“It is not that uncommon for a Sentinel to have two Guides on hand. Here the one being the case study had a wife, had children with her but at the same time was a Sentinel with two Guides. One female one male. They passed the integrity test and were left alone.” Jackson read out: “That means we all could have a wife and be bonded.”

“Do I need to remind you that we both are married?” Edmund asked dryly: “Anything I should know about?”

Homer rolled his eyes: “Don’t throw stones. You know by now that my marriage was out of convenience and honest trust until I shot that Raine woman. Ever since then we’ve been at odds.”

“I won’t take a woman as my wife if I cannot be with her,” Drake admitted: “I really care for Rose and Bella but I cannot consent to them not being happily married.”

“Oh we know,” Reid nodded: “Anyways, we should continue the paperwork here and see that the latest we go there tomorrow.”

*

They spent the afternoon doing paperwork as well as going out to enjoy a bit of fresh air and sunshine in the park. They were successful with their ways of researching their bonds and potentials earlier and left for a dinner together since neither was any good in preparing a meal and by god they wouldn’t go to Susan’s.

“I was wondering,” Reid began: “Since we move in together, should we get rid of one of our houses, Bennet?”

Bennet considered a moment: “We should. Either would be fine but I guess the better would be the one that has more space available. With the leftover money we could arrange for a maid?”

“Excellent idea,” Jackson said: “I doubt either of us can cook and not poison us. Not to mention cleaning the house dust free and washing the linen to make Drake comfortable enough.”

“Agreed. We can afford the luxury of a maid with the leftover money of the house we’ll be selling and our triple income.” Drake agreed: “Though to be honest, given the state of my house and yours, Edmund, yours would be the better choice, much less the location is less noisy and closer to the office.”

It was getting close to evening and while Jackson still had stayed with Susan for the nights, he knew that he wasn’t welcome there now that the creepy man was dead. Thankfully the paperwork had been done accordingly by Susan every time and signed by Duggan. Therefore, the original debt had been paid. Bennet knew this and relaxed a bit more, knowing that he hadn’t done any further harm.

“We should move some cloths for us to the house,” Reid suddenly said: “We only have so much free time on our hands and dead bodies will be coming up again soon.”

Drake was all for it and even Jackson nodded: “I will head by Susan’s tomorrow, if that is all right with you. We’ll carry Drake’s cloths now.”

Returning to Bennet’s house, they quickly gathered all their belongings and things together. They were gathering quite a few looks but didn’t care much about it. If anyone asked, they would simply state that it was more practical to live together to save rent since neither had much spare money. Jackson simply would be there as a friend helping moving. It was suspicious enough that two men were moving in together, not making a fuss was pretty important if they didn’t want to announce to the whole city that they were Sentinel and Guides.

Luckily, Emily had taken the bed and quite a few of her belongings when she had left and while Edmund had stayed at the office, the house and its smells were tolerant if just a little bit stale. Luckily enough, Edmund had stayed a few nights in the house, along with purchasing a new bed, a few new cloths and cleaned the living room, kitchen and bedroom. The remaining rooms could wait for a while and given that they weren’t home much anyways, it wouldn’t matter. Eventually they could make a guest room for whomever they needed to host for a while.

This was rather uneventful. They moved the stuff, prepared a stew for supper – the only thing they could prepare – and relaxed a bit by reading through their papers. They didn’t want to discuss how the bonding would take place and given that they were three, they never even thought of this much.

Eventually, Bennet’s desire and the fact that he had his Guides close and in bed was just enough to start the bonding ritual. Thankfully, some things do come naturally.

*

The walk through the streets to the office where they could get their bond registered and tested was still in Whitechapel but pretty much furthest away from their house as possible. Reid had shrugged and tried to talk them into taking a carriage but both Drake and Jackson had argued that it was better for their Bond to stabilize if they walked through the streets where Bennet was forced to face his senses and spiked that could attack them.

Not knowing how the integrity test was done, given that they probably where the only Sentinel and Guide pair around was rather worrisome. Add that they had telegraphed ahead to get this appointment at exact that time was rather unsettling as well.

The nervousness was showing in all their behavior. Drake was easily distracted by any and all scents that attacked him by walking through the streets and gave up pretending that he knew what was to happen just as quickly.

Homer was the most relaxed, given that he had been let into the country with papers verifying that he was a Guide and that nothing much could harm him either way.

Edmund, being online and a Guide for barely two days was nervous the most but surprisingly found it in him to project calmness to Bennet. The calmness he took from Homer and amplified it. It was weird feeling their bond work this way and Drake could feel that thought from Reid stronger than any other.

They entered the small house that was the official office not too much later and were surprised by the assembled people. There were a lot and as far as they could tell one or two representatives of the Royal Family where there.

“Ah, just in time,” someone they didn’t know admitted and checked his pocket watch before flipping it close and focusing on the three men: “I am here to note down the results of your bonding and make certain that the law is followed by the letter.”

“Inspector, Sergeant, Captain, please come forward and we’ll assess your situation,” someone of the Royal Family said and they still hadn’t gotten a single name.

The woman from the Royal Family stepped forward and addressed them next: “I am a Guide of the Royal Family. My name is Princess Helena. I am currently one of a few emerged Guides within the United Kingdom to assess the legitimacy of your claimed Bond.”

Surprised, all three men bowed to the princess but she waved them off: “Please, in this room, we are no more than Sentinel and Guides. It might entirely be possible that one of you is higher ranking than I am and my status within my family is not the business of official packs and prides within England. I am merely the only Guide able to assess given that no other Guides or Sentinels are currently known.”

Jackson, as an American, nodded first and addressed the Princess: “How do we assess the Bond between us?”

Drake fidgeted a little bit and felt her brushing against his mental shields. She looked at him, surprised and nodded once before looking at Reid. The shields that surrounded all three of them were strong and not giving in an inch to her assessment or whatever she was doing.

“You will notice that my way of assessing was not only this lightly knocking on your shields. Yes, I can see the bond between you but my Family has knowledge of generations of Sentinel and Guides to assess them. We shall call it a stress testing that I will provide on every one of you. Since your Sentinel has an empathic sense, he is not excluded. Where it to be he was not having this added gift, I would simply skip to regular resting of all senses until we have a level of his abilities.”

Reid, ever the Guide and boss at work stepped forward: “Please begin with me.”

“Of course, Inspector Reid.” She then did something that the other men couldn’t really explain but it stripped Reid down to the basic shields and he instinctively fought her back and was successful after a few minutes. She smiled at him: “Very well. You are indeed a stronger Guide than I am.”

Surprised, Jackson looked at Drake and tilted his head: “I did suspect that Sentinel Drake was an Alpha.”

“Given Guide Reid’s mental capabilities, I wouldn’t be surprised. Given that he requires two Guides is also an assessment that could indicate him being an Alpha.” She agreed and looked at Jackson, attacking him mentally next.

The American seemed to have a few tricks up his sleeve and given he had more experience, it wasn’t hard for the other man to also erect his shields to keep her out. Princess Helena smiled again with a noble tilt of her head: “You, too are an Alpha Guide. Surprisingly, I can already see that you are a perfect match to Guide Reid.”

Drake fidgeted still but relaxed a bit when Edmund and Homer stepped closer to him, touching him on shoulder and arm: “Oh, thank you.” He sighed and the nervousness was gone in nearly an instant.

Helena smiled in approval and stopped one of the other men who wanted to step forward and remind them of the time and that they should get on with it: “Sentinel Drake is highly nervous. It is rather understandable given his history of battle and being attacked. His senses are just stable now.”

Drake looked at the Princess with a new admiration and then gave her a shaking nod to begin while giving his Guides a reassuring smile. The assault on his shields and mental mind was like nothing he had ever felt.

She was going into his mind, looking at how he emerged and the battle he had fought. She discovered the problems he had first faced with his senses and battling to have them under control and stable. The fear he had of going feral like that again and killing more people. The flashbacks he had of the battle that hit him in the streets. The research he had done to know what was happening to him and then finally being allowed to work and be stable enough to let nothing past his shields. The anger and the quick response to jump into action to protect his friends, his pack.

Mentally, she also tested the response time to his senses and how quickly he could smell a certain something she had uncorked in a bottle. The sound of her fingernails scratching her scalp and quite a few other tests. 

Last, she inspected his connection with his Guides. How they balanced him, comforted him and were there as friends before they had bonded. Then the bond itself how quickly Jackson or Reid were to snap a shield in place at certain points and especially, their true nature of their bond which made Bennet rather uncomfortable given the status of the law and he quickly shut her out mentally with his stronger shields. He was fierce to protect them.

“Very well. Please note down that their Bond is as stable as can be expected after years of being together and given that they have been bonded barely for a day, they should be very proud of their achievement. They are also Alpha Guides and Sentinel. Meaning that all further Guides and Sentinels to be assessed will be assessed by them rather than me since they are higher leveled. We will grant them access to the Palace and the Scrolls about Sentinel and Guides we have. Furthermore, they are excluded from any and all crimes they would commit by following their nature. Be it killing in defense of each other or their pack or any possible sexual nature of their bond to each other.” Helena said easily and watched the lawman write down what she had stated.

Surprised, Bennet addressed her: “Guide Helena, how can one be certain that one of us killed to protect someone?”

“We will investigate your possible crimes. Of course we have to but given that we know you are Guides and Sentinels and I assessed your moral grounds, I see no reason to make a huge fuss. You are just and do not kill unless no choice is given to you. I know of Duggan but we also know he hurt your Guide. There is no law that could understand the need to protect a Guide.” She explained simply: “You will never cross a line if you have a choice and you are three to protect each other.”

The lawman showed Helena a paper and the lady nodded at it, signing it: “Whenever you need information or legal help, do not hesitate to seek me out. You will be granted access to Sentinel and Guide business but don’t expect it to be too much. There aren’t many Sentinels and Guides around.”

“Thank you, Guide Helena,” Reid said with a bow and looked around the other men: “Is there anything else we need to do?”

“No, everything is settled,” one man said simply and maneuvered them to go out the house back to a carriage that had the royal crest on it: “This carriage will take you back to Whitechapel’s Division H Office.”

*

Arriving at the office was rather hectic. They were bombarded by officers about a body they had found at Duggan’s place, namely, Duggan.

Not quite knowing how to proceed, Jackson had the body in the morgue, not letting Drake anywhere close to see the body given that the other man had killed the fat bastard to protect Jackson. 

Jackson still had the scar on his throat to show it but hadn’t let his Sentinel dwell on said scar the night before when the Sentinel had mapped out both his Guide’s bodies.

Now, in the day of light, they assessed the situation and Reid was out and about to deal with the legal part of the self defense they claimed Jackson had done. It was a simple reason to explain why Jackson had left and not reported the body for two days but when Edmund and Bennet argued for Homer’s worry about Long Susan, they agreed and it was swept aside without anyone knowing about them being Sentinel and Guides.

The whole issue would become rather moot given that it was obvious that the three men were living together after a few days. They left together, arrived together and discussed their situation about Bennet’s old house. Granted, they were doing it behind closed doors but people spoke about it nonetheless.

Bella and Rose had both agreed to share the maid duty in their house with a smile. The women had rolled their eyes when Bennet had tried to ask them politely while Reid stayed silent and fidgeted with his hat and Jackson had been over confident and chimed in accordingly to help Bennet out.

Both women would be seeing their living arrangements so those women were the only two that were told about their Bond and being Guides and a Sentinel. Susan of course knew but the men asked not to discuss it with her even if Jackson was legally still married.

Knowing their days were numbered with being hidden and together, all three men were taking each day as a new gift and tried to learn from one another and how to include their work and their bond into their lives. Getting a carriage full of scrolls from the Royal Palace was another thing that wasn’t to be missed and while those scrolls had been delivered to the H Division, couldn’t be ignored.

Another day later, some official royal men came waltzing in and nailed an official paper onto the wall that showed their status as bonded and protected by the law.

After that, Bennet, Homer and Edmund had to get used to a whole new life.

The End.


End file.
